Scientometric Full-Text Analysis of Papers Published in Remote Sensing between 2009 and 2021

Covering the full texts of all papers published in MDPI's Remote Sensing between 2009 and 2021, in-depth scientometric analyses were conducted. Trends in publications show an increase in the overall number of papers. A relative increase in papers using SAR sensors and a relative decrease in papers using optical remote sensing can also be seen. The full-text analyses reveal distinctive styles and writing patterns for papers from different sub-fields of remote sensing and for different countries and even cities. While a slight increase in the readability of abstracts is detected over time, the overall readability of papers is decreasing. Institutional co-authorship analysis reveals the ongoing 'scientific decoupling' between China and the USA in remote sensing. Using scientometric full-text analysis, current trends and developments are revealed.

Automated summary

In-depth scientometric analyses were conducted on the full texts of papers published in MDPI's Remote Sensing between 2009 and 2021. The analyses reveal trends in publications, including an increase in the overall number of papers and a shift towards the use of SAR sensors in remote sensing research. The analyses also highlight distinctive styles and writing patterns among papers from different sub-fields, countries, and even cities. Factors such as readability and institutional co-authorship were also examined, showing a decrease in the overall readability of papers and revealing the ongoing 'scientific decoupling' between China and the USA in remote sensing research.